Greetings Humans. Now that I am old and I hardly have the energy to leave my bed to eat and do my business, there is not much point in me going outside. The nine younger cats around me talk about it sometimes but never do. We are not even supposed to be here. I heard my servant, Hiroaki, say that cats were not allowed in the building. I have lived in many places, but I have not seen another place where cats have as much freedom as I hear they have in New Zealand, where cats are not prey and their humans think that it would be unnatural to keep them inside.
Recently, I heard my former servant, Ken, tell Hiroaki that Tonraq got out again. Richelle had been trying to teach him about the cat flap, but he had not used it yet. They think he will figure it out, though and come in when he is hungry enough. It makes me remember the adventures of my youth.
I do not remember my first humans very well. Hiroaki says he found me abandoned on the street. He forced Ken to give me a home Ken had recently lost a cat named Mi. that’s how I got my name. We lived above Ken’s family’s restaurant in downtown Osaka and it was my job to keep the mice away. We could go out on the street if we wanted and Mi preferred that wild life, I was Ken’s only cat until my friend Madara came along.
Then Ken married Richelle, as I mentioned in my first letter, and we moved to a big house in a suburb. They made a door for us themselves so we could come and go as we pleased. I was glad to get away sometimes after Richelle rescued Mao. He was an annoying kitten for a while but he mellowed. We caught lots of lizards and birds and even brought some home for our servants. I still don’t understand why they didn’t appreciate them. We were trying to teach them to hunt for the laziest and stupidest as we cats have always done. That way only the best survive to procreate. I heard it was different in New Zealand, that there were no cats until the humans brought them, so even the best and smartest birds didn’t have time to evolve ways of getting away from us. That sounds boring! Even though it is our instinct to hunt, I hope that most of my Kiwi cousins go for the challenge of rats or stoats. These young cats now-a-days need to remember to keep up the natural order of life.
As you may remember, we moved to Kuwait, San Diego, Mexico and China. I understand why we weren’t allowed to go out in those places—too dangerous for us. There were mean street cats or coyotes or people who liked to kill and even eat us outside. Mao did get out a few times, but he didn’t go far. Although he talked tough, I know he was afraid out there. Our servants cared for us well.
Now both Madara and Mao have gone on to other hunting grounds and I am left with memories and old bones that barely want to move. Back with Hiroaki, I try to pass on what I have learned to Whitey and the others here about the dangers of the world outside. I hope that Tonraq comes back safely. It seems roads are the danger for cats in New Zealand, but he should know to watch out for cars.